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LINKS:
Bengali Uprising and the Birth of a New Nation
The Declaration of Independence
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EARLY HISTORY OF THE
BENGAL:
In the third century B.C., Bangladesh formed part of the extensive Mauryan kingdom, then known as Pundravardhana Bhukti comprising roughly the entire triangular delta from the snow-capped Himalayas in the north to the Bay of Bengal in the south. From third century BC to the end of twelfth century, the northern and western part was successfully ruled by the great Mauryans, Guptas, the Palas and Sena kings till the latter's rule was overthrown by the Muslims in 1204 A.D. However, the trans-Meghna region in the south and east was ruled independently by the Buddhist Deva and Chandra kings of Samatata kingdom. The Pala supremacy in the north lasted over four hundred years - form the eighth century to the eleventh. With the establishment of a long spell of peace and settled government during their rule, unprecedented artistic and architectural activities thrived within their far-flung empire. Of the oldest civilizations, the Indian civilization was one of the most developed. With the invasion of the Aryans the Indian civilization, for the first time came in touch with Western Civilization. 400 B.C. After battling the Aryans, they prepared to face Alexander the Great. The Pal Dynasty brought a golden beginning to the political history of Bengal. From Puthis of that era one may find alphabets and drawings being used. The oldest known poets were Kahupad and Bhushuk belonging to 8-9A.D. It was Bhushuk who first used the word 'Bangalee' in his poetry. The beginning of the Bengali Intellectuals can be dated to 982 AD, with the birth of Atish Sringan Diponker in Brojjogoni village of Bikrampur, in the the district of Dhaka. With the discovery of the route to India by Portuguese traveler Vasco-da-Gama, many European and other travelers visited the sub-continent including Bengal. Before the discovery of Bengal by Bakhtiar Khilji, to preach Islam, Aulias and Dervish from Arabia came to Bengal. The Baba Adam Mosque in Bikrampur is proof of that. From 1389-1409 AD, during the reign of Sultan Ghyiasuddin the language and literature of Bengal developed. From 1415-1417 AD, during the reign of King Ganesh one can find the evidence of Bengali alphabets in monetary coins. In the Middle Ages with Choitonna Dev one sees the growing awareness of secularism amongst the Bengalis.
Bengal became part of the Mughal Empire, which spread across most of what are now Afghanistan, India, and Pakistan. Muslim art and architecture flourished under Mogul rule. By about the 1600’s, most of the people of eastern Bengal had converted to Islam.
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